August/September 2023 Bookstack

I tend to overwhelm myself with reading plans and lists. I have found that just picking a few books and making a small stack help me to stay more focused. I have been a bit distracted this summer and only read two books in July. Several of the books in this stack were started in July and are still in progress. Two of these books, The Christian Life and Becoming C. S. Lewis, have been in progress since the beginning of the year. LOL

Hallowe’en Party is, as I mentioned in a recent post, preparing me for the coming movie (A Haunting in Venice) and Greensleeves by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a read with a Kindred Spirits Reading Group. I just got it in the mail so I will be a little behind the rest of the group but I will finish it even if not in time for the group meeting.

A Bit of Stalling

I keep putting this last book, To Be Where You Are... of the Mitford series, in my stack but keep putting it off. I have a mental block with finishing this series. I don’t want to leave Mitford, yet. I know that is ridiculous because I could just go back and reread the series but there is just this reluctance I cannot shake. I will finish this book by the beginning of 2024 and I will mourn the end in an appropriate manner… probably with chocolate. I have it on good authority that Jan Karon is writing another book but it is not a Mitford book. When I went through her museum last summer the ladies were sharing that she was currently in Italy and writing something new and not from Mitford. I am so curious to see what she shares.

I am currently reading…

Sugar Birds by Cheryl Grey Bostrom (listening to the audio as I read, too) This book, which has won numerous awards, will be re-released under a new publisher this fall. I am so excited for Cheryl! She also has a second book in the series coming up soon, too. I will share more as I know more.

Becoming C. S. Lewis by Harry Lee Poe

Love and Saffron by Kim Fay (sent to me by a friend in late spring)

The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson

I will pick up the other books as I finish the ones I am reading currently. I try to keep a fiction, nonfiction, Christian nonfiction, and biography going most of the time. I happen to have two fiction right now because one is epistolary and the other is uniquely distinctive and also on audio. I won’t have any trouble with confusing the stories as I read.

An Exciting New Theology Adventure

I will be gathering more theology and Christian nonfiction as the autumn and winter seasons are upon us because I am also taking an online course from the Lifeway Women’s Academy starting soon. I am diving into Hermeneutics 101 first. Jen Wilkin and Dr. Katie J. McCoy are two of the fantastic teachers in this series of online classes. I am also looking forward to getting to know more about Julia B. Higgins and Elizabeth Woodson. I am very excited about doing this.

You will also notice Jan Karon’s Bathed in Prayer book of collected quotes and passages. A friend reminded me that I had this one and it is a great one to keep at arm’s length for encouragement. I try to have a “devotional” type book going in addition to my daily Bible reading and study. I am working through the Same Page Summer plan right now. I believe I mentioned that recently. They will begin a new reading plan the first Monday of September. I will share that when I have more information for you. And lastly, I have Memorizing Scripture in the stack. I shared about that this week in more detail.

Do you have a fantastic book you want to share? Are you preparing for “back to school” or Autumn reading right now? Do you have a book you are looking forward to reading? I would love to hear about any and/or all of it!

You are all greatly appreciated!

~Leann

Books I Read in March

This is a smidge later than I intended. I promised that I would share books I read along the way this year instead of waiting until the end of the year. Thanks for being patient with me in this endeavor.

I read 4 books and that took me to 14 books by the end of March.

I completely finished the Old Testament by March 31st as well. That meant I finished the OT in a total of 3 months. This was a first for me and I loved my extended time reading in God’s word each day. I started the NT on April 1st and will share more about that at the end of this month.

This is a quick list of what I read in March.

• I finished the devotional, Dwell: 90 Days at Home with God by Sandra Byrd. I shared the review for that one for you two days ago. Click on the title above to read more.
• The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill was a book I read for a Kindred Spirits group I am in online. It is a children’s book about a teacher who goes to Alaska to teach in a remote area with native children. It was a sweet story and definitely inspirational for both teachers and children about learning and community. If you enjoy reading children’s books this is a neat story based on real events and experiences in the author’s life.
• The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery was such a delightful read. This is one I will be reading again and again. I loved the story so much about a young single woman who has to continually tolerate the negative comments about her age and her single status from HER OWN FAMILY. I love her determination to seek out a different future for herself when she was given a drastic diagnosis. If you love LMM this one won’t disappoint one bit. It is a fantastic story!
• The Productivity Zone by Morgan Tyree is a nonfiction book about becoming more productive by looking at your daily schedules and tasks. She gives good advice on reevaluating your time to give you more time to do the things you enjoy. It is a reprint of sorts with a new title. I didn’t find it remarkably innovative but it had some good tips and tricks and she offers free printouts online to help you find what works for you.

What have you been reading lately?

Do you have any books you would recommend?

Drop me a comment and share your favorites so far in 2023.

I hope you have an awesome weekend. May it be restful and restorative.

Blessings and happy reading!

~Leann

Orion and the Starborn by K. B. Hoyle

Today is the release day of a new science/fantasy fiction novel for middle grade and young adult students. It is from a new publishing company called Owl’s Nest Publishing. They specialize in young adult and middle grade books. K. B. Hoyle is a co-owner of the publishing company but also a prolific author and she has quickly become a favorite in our home. This is her 12th novel and the first in her newest series.

Book Summary

Orion and the Starborn is the modern day adventure of a boy named Orion Kim Orion was adopted as a baby. He was adopted by an older Korean woman he calls Halmoni (Korean for Grandmother). He was living a normal life as a preteen just trying to fit in when some weird things began to happen. He felt that he was being followed and that someone meant to harm him. He started to have signs of special powers he had never realized before. He shared these things with his grandmother but she already knew of the things he was telling her. She began to tell him about where he was from and what all of these things meant. It became apparent that he was not from earth as she share these things with him. Halmoni Kim knew that it was time to send him back to the world he came from to keep him safe. They did not really know if he would be safe but they had to trust a guardian who arrived to take him home. Orion has many questions. Why would anyone be searching for him? What was so important about him? This all sets Orion on the adventure of a lifetime as he learns about his world and his people. Could this mean his parents were still alive? Could he trust this guardian to keep him safe? Would the people on his world accept him? He had to find out what all of this meant.

My Thoughts

This story was jam packed from start to finish. It was fast paced with lots of excitement. Orion Kim was not bigger than life but more of an unassuming young man with asthma, glasses, nerdy interests such as chess and just a few close friends on earth. I think the book has some very positive messages for young people and a main character that they can relate to easily. It is a book that I would have felt comfortable giving to my own children when they were middle grade age. I love that K. B. Hoyle writes from a Christian worldview. She gives children a story that easily competes with the secular books being marketed to children today. I love that there is an alternative to those worldly messages being marketed to children in our current age. This would be a great adventure book to give as a gift to your favorite middle grade child. It is a great adventure!

You can find out more about K. B. Hoyle at her website. She is also on social media at FB, Twitter, and IG. The publisher has provided a great playlist to go with the story and you can check that out here. If you have a middle grade student in your life… parent, teacher, grandparent… I think they would enjoy this as much as I did and maybe more.

Happy Reading,

~Leann

Nonfiction November 2022

I was surprised as I checked my list for the year that I have read or listened to more fiction this year than nonfiction. That is not characteristic of my past reading. I tend to balance things out naturally (usually 25 fiction and 25 non) but this year we have had a lot of traveling. When we travel we tend to listen to fiction as a family in the car. If you were to see my list you would see more of my husband’s audio books than usual, too, because he does most of the driving. The driver gets to pick the books. He likes Tony Hillerman and Louis L’Amour. We also have a lot of Jeeves and Wooster on the list. LOL We all love those. It has been an audio book and fiction heavy year.

The month of November is my opportunity to strike that balance. I have a stack. I cannot guarantee that I will get through the whole stack but if I narrow it down to a small stack I don’t stand in front of my bookshelves debating on what to read next. It takes away the overwhelm a little when I approach my reading this way. I really overwhelm easily these days. LOL This accounts for my lengthy reading slump since August. There are good reasons but it has thrown my yearly count off a bit. I have two months to fix it and if I don’t that’s ok, too. I want reading to remain enjoyable with no pressure to hit a number. It’s not fun anymore if I let it become that.

Here is what made the stack for this Nonfiction November. (Check out this video to learn more)

The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson – This is a small book that packs a BIG punch! I am eating this one slowly because it is very thoughtful and needs to be savored. I have to take books like this in small bites. (sorry for the food analogy but it is how I think)

Handling the Truth: on the writing of memoir by Beth Kephart – I have been studying the art of memoir lately. It is part of my attempt to write better for this blog. This is just another one in my stack of “how to write memoir.” I recently read one by Marion Roach Smith that was very insightful. I have a stack of recommended memoirs from her and a few other sources to read in 2023 but I decided to tackle a few for the end of 2022 including this one.

The Art of the Essay by Charity Singleton Craig – again, my attempt to become better at wring. This one has been on my wishlist for quite some time so I just splurged with a little gift money for this one. I am really looking forward to this one. She is a cowriter for On Being a Writer with another favorite author, Ann Kroeker.

Almost Amish: One woman’s quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life by Nancy Sleeth – My fascination with how the Amish live has been a lifelong adventure. I recently picked this book up used. As I move through my 50s the idea of slower, simpler, etc…. just feels like home for me.

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies – Let me just say that EVERYONE could be better at discerning the will of God. I have put this one off too long. It’s time.

The Smart Woman’s Guide to Planning for Retirement by Mary Hunt – I started this one in September and need to finish it. It is quite helpful. I am learning from this one so it is back on the top of the reading stack now to finish by the end of December.

Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Susannah B. Lewis – I adore Whoa Susannah… I need more funny in my life and she hits the spot nicely.

The Completion of C. S. Lewis (from War to Joy 1945-1963) by Harry Lee Poe – this is a review book for Crossway. I love C. S. Lewis so I am thrilled to be digging into this partial biography this month.

And I Shall Have Some Peace There: trading in the fast lane for my own dirt road by Margaret Roach – Margaret is the sister to Marion Roach Smith. I mentioned her above and this is a memoir that was recommended as one that is a great example of fantastic memoir writing. It is also about gardening and slower living. It seemed right up my ally so here we go.

A few BookTubers I follow that are doing the NF November…

Books and Jams

Mitzi Reads and Writes

Books with Emily Fox

Kate Howe (this is her last year video because her new one is not up yet)

I do have two novels going right now that will be reviewed for you soon.

Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon is #3 in this series. I was not in on the first two review teams but I ordered them from Thriftbooks.com as soon as I realized how much I loved this third one. That review will be up soon.

Orion and the Starborn by K. B. Hoyle will be released on November 15th. It is a middle grade book and I am enjoying it, too. That review will be up by mid month.

I will also have an audio book for November but I don’t know if it will be fiction or nonfiction, yet. I have lots to choose from so I will try to find something seasonal or a biography or memoir.

The big question I have for you today is…

What are you reading for November?

Are you doing the Nonfiction November or another reading challenge?

Are you ignoring all the challenges and just reading whatever you want?

Please feel free to share with me below in the comments. I love to hear what you guys are reading!

Until next time…

Happy Reading,

~Leann

The Mitford Museum – Hudson, North Carolina

There are so many amazing things we got to do and see on this trip to North Carolina. In planning our trip originally I would have missed this little gem. As I was planning for what to pack I thought about a few books to take. I must admit up front that I barely read a thing on this adventure but I had the next book in the Mitford series in the stack, Come Rain or Come Shine. I chose it because it was about a wedding in North Carolina and I thought it fitting since we were going for a wedding in North Carolina. LOL

I realized upon picking that book I had not been to the Mitford website in ages to see what was happening with Jan and her writing. I did a search to find the official website and something else popped up, too.

A link for The Mitford Museum showed up and I thought, “Is this the same Mitford?” Well, folks, it is! There is now a Museum for all things Jan Karon and Mitford and it opened in October 2021. I immediately searched for where it was and when it was open and then we added it to our travel plans. It is located in her childhood home of Hudson, NC in the actual school where she attended as a little girl. It is not a huge museum but a cozy stroll through the life and works of Jan Karon that just gave me all the feels. Feel free to click on any individual photo to see it more closely…. especially that desk!

The entrance as you go down the hall… with a lovely map of Mitford on the wall just like the ones in the books.

Jan’s actual writing desk full of photos, marked up manuscripts and other lovely things she wanted to share with her fans

Miss Fannie’s hat! I loved the displays so much.

A lovely large Nativity just like the one I imagined in Shepherd’s Abiding.

She mentioned Hudson as a true inspiration for the people we meet in Mitford. She also lived in Blowing Rock (just up the road a bit from Hudson) while writing the first five books… three in the series and two children’s books. So, guess where we went next…

Emily and I toured the museum and my patient husband and youngest son sat and enjoyed a bit of quiet reading while they waited. They were so kind to let us go and do this. I guess it makes up for the Texas Ranger Museum I went through with Dan one time long ago. Although, don’t tell him this, I enjoyed that somewhat, too. LOL I am a museum kind of gal. If you go on the right day there is also a little coffee shop and of course, there is a gift shop open when the museum is open. You know I bought something… a little stacking pot, cup and saucer to enjoy tea as I read. It was specially designed just for sale in the Mitford Museum store.

I could not believe how much Blowing Rock reminded me of Mitford as we drove through. They happened to have a “contaminated water ban” the day we went through so we didn’t stay super long but everyone I talked to knew who Jan Karon was and about all her books. She is very famous there.

I won’t share too many surprises so that you can make a plan to go and enjoy the loveliness of it all for yourself. Hudson is a quaint little town and the drive off the main roads into the town are gorgeous. just up the road is another little town called Lenoir and we stopped for lunch there at the 1841 Cafe. It is an old hardware store that has been converted.

Girlie and Youngest indulging my photo taking craziness. They are such good sports!

I ordered a Whistle Stop BLT with fried green tomato. I also had the sweet potato fries and a really delicious creamy sriracha sauce for dipping. I do love a good diner!

Blowing Rock is a beautiful town just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent some time driving on that, too, on our way back to Asheville that day. Dan has a cousin that lives in Asheville and she let us stay two nights with them so we could do some touring around.

The day we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway it was overcast and rainy but perfect for photo taking. My daughter has been putting up photos of our adventures since we got back if you want to check some of those out. You can see her Photography Instagram stuff @photos_by_emily316

Add these stops to your North Carolina itinerary if you make it there. I have some more adventures to share so stay tuned. Until next time…

Happy Travels!

~Leann

The Great Farmapalooza by Jill Roman Lord

This book is in stores now and was released this summer.  It is a sweet larger sized board book with a sing-song rhyming style.  This one, unlike the others in the series I have reviewed, has flaps to open and discover fun little creatures and sounds as they read. The book introduces children to animals you would find on a farm. It emphasizes how God creates and provides for His creation.

It is sweet and engaging for little ones. I love that it is in a board book format so it is durable and easy to handle for busy little hands and fingers.  The illustrations are also bright and colorful and the text is interactive and highly engaging.  If you have little ones in your home or other settings like church or daycare this is a great addition to your collection. As a grandmother of two sweet little boys I will certainly be reading this one with them.

It is published by BHPublishing and is available in Lifeway stores or other Christian stores right now.  You can also order it online wherever children’s books are sold.

This book came to me free of charge with no obligation to read or review it.  It is, however, quite delightful and I am glad to do so!